No. 8 Iowa State men’s basketball hosts No. 1 Baylor in clash of unbeatens

AMES — When T.J. Otzelberger returned to Iowa State for a third time this year — and first time as the Cyclones’ head men’s basketball coach — one question kept popping up.

“When are we going to bring back Hilton magic?” Otzelberger said.

Hope fueled his initial answers. Real-time results now frame his responses.

In short, winning conjures magic — and entering Saturday’s 1 p.m. Big 12 season-opener against No. 1 Baylor at Hilton Coliseum — that’s all Otzelberger’s patchwork eighth-ranked Cyclones have done.

“I feel like from our guys’ standpoint and as I sit here, they’ve done what they can do to help (bring magic back), and our fans have reciprocated,” said Otzelberger, whose team (12-0) will play in a top-10 matchup at home for the first time in seven years. “(They’ve) come out and supported us, so we just need to continue to have that winning combination.”

Scott Drew’s defending national champion Bears (12-0) will make that exceedingly difficult, as will the rest of a deep and talented Big 12 slate of foes largely driven by defense.

That’s where it starts for Baylor, which ranks fourth nationally in adjusted defense according to KenPom, and eighth nationally in offensive rebounding percentage.

Simply put, the Bears have no flaws, so the Cyclones’ hopes will continue to hinge on their so-far successful quest to make opponents perpetually uncomfortable — especially on the offensive end of the floor.

“It’s a conference game,” said ISU guard Izaiah Brockington, who leads his team in scoring at 16.9 points per game and rebounding at 8.4. “We’re gonna have tough games every night, but obviously the stakes are raised (with) two undefeated teams, both in the top 10. But we’re just coming out and imposing our will. Coming out and trying to do what got us here, so the plan doesn’t really change.

“The stakes change, but we stay the same.”

The Cyclones’ defense has been nearly as stringent as Baylor’s. ISU ranks seventh in adjusted defensive efficiency, according to KenPom, and leads the Big 12 in opponents’ field goal percentage (36.6%).

The critical separation point lurks on the offensive end, where the Bears rank fifth in adjusted efficiency and the Cyclones check in at 139th.

Both teams use stifling defenses to fuel production on the other end, but Baylor does that at an elite level, which is a matter of fact, not magic.

“The fortunate part for us is the things that we work on and we strive to do every single day are going to be the same things that we need to do (Saturday),” Otzelberger said. “Pressure the basketball. Be physical. Be the aggressor. That’s going to be really important. When they’re allowed to run offense in space, they’re more effective, so we’ve always got to have that ball pressure and active hands.”

Baylor attacks from multiple angles and with several skilled players. L.J. Cryer, who has been out recently with a foot injury, scores 13.6 points per game, but seven Bears average 8.5 points per game or more. Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua leads his team in rebounding at 8.4 per game, but four teammates average at least four boards, as well.

No magic can counter that wide-ranging platform for production. That’s where ISU’s habits and grit kick in. It’s not alchemy, it’s basic chemistry — and that’s what turns Hilton into a raucous realm when wins routinely outpace losses.

“We’re really grateful to have that type of home court advantage,” Otzelberger said. “We’re playing in the best league in the country, so we’re gonna need it and we appreciate it.”

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